Suzhou Pingtan

Pingtan (Chinese: 评弹), also known as Suzhou Pingtan, is a regional variant of quyi and a popular musical/oral performance art form in the Jiangnan region of China, encompassing southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Originating from Suzhou, it is a blend of the Chinese narrative musical traditions of pinghua and tanci, with roots tracing back to the Song dynasty and influences from Wuyue culture.

This art form, shaped by Pingtan artists, has garnered immense popularity in Jiangnan. Its long history has provided a solid foundation for development. Despite its simplicity in form, Pingtan's content is rich, incorporating techniques like storytelling, joke cracking, music playing and aria singing. Its artistic features include "reasoning, tastes, unexpectedness, interest and minuteness". Although it began in Suzhou, Pingtan experienced significant growth in Shanghai during the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, spurred by the development of commerce and culture. Since then, Pingtan has evolved into a new form of performance, continuously innovating while preserving its traditional essence.

It originated in Suzhou about four hundred years ago. From the middle of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, it was performed in Shanghai. At that time, Shanghai was one of the five treaty ports. Shanghai's economy was booming and various cultures arrived there. Pingtan absorbed some elements from various cultures and was well developed under the circumstances. The rise of records and radio stations also played an important role in popularizing Pingtan art. Another positive factor was the expansion of performing halls, which were decorated well and spacious. As a result, people like writers, painters, professors gradually became loyal fans. After the founding of People's Republic of China, 18 performers organized Shanghai People's Pingtan Troupe, which was the first official troupe. Based on traditional long story-telling, shorter and medium-sized stories were created, reflecting modern life. The form of performance is not limited in Shuchang, which was the traditional performing stage, however, in 1961 Pingtan concert was held which attracted nearly one thousand people to watch in each performance. While its traditional repertoire was banned during the Cultural Revolution, Pingtan still enjoyed a special status as a preferred medium for singing poems by Mao Zedong, making Pingtan known and appreciated throughout China, despite the dialectal barrier. Since the late 1970s, the traditional repertoire has been revived. The old artists undertook the task of passing the tradition on to the new generation. Pingtan is popularized by radio, television and Internet. Meanwhile, it faces challenges as a result of the popular entertainment industry.

Suzhou Pinghua features oral storytelling, while Suzhou Tanci integrates storytelling and singing, both performed in Suzhou dialect. Locally, Suzhou Pinghua is called "Da Shu" (Big Story), and Suzhou Tanci is called "Xiao Shu" (Small Story), with both referred to as "Shuoshu" (storytelling).

Suzhou Pinghua uses the third-person perspective of the storyteller for narration and inserting the first-person speech of characters through role imitation, known as "qi jue se" (assuming roles). The storyteller’s narrative is called "biao" (presentation), while the speech in roles is "bai" (dialogue). Both primarily employ prose, with some rhythmic segments like odes, chants, and verse dialogues for recitation. The performance emphasizes humor. Different stylistic schools emerged based on variations in language and character portrayal, such as:

Fangkou: Rigorous narration with fixed expressions.

Huokou: Flexible, improvisational narration tailored to the audience.

Kuaikou: Rapid, forceful delivery.